Job summary
Are you a qualified or soon to qualify Clinical / Counselling Psychologist who is passionate about working with people with Learning Disabilities?Are you looking for a role that can offer flexible working to coincide with your home life as well as paying HCAS?
Due to internal promotions within the Trust we are looking for a new band 7 Clinical /Counselling Psychologist to join our team based at Erlegh House in Reading.
This is a rare opportunity to join a well-established psychology service where Psychologists work closely with other multi-disciplinary professionals to offer high-quality care to adults with learning disabilities both in a community setting and in an inpatient unit.
We are an innovative team who are passionate about improving the lives of people with learning disabilities and are looking for someone who shares these values. We work with clients with complex needs, drawing on a variety of psychological models, and are looking for psychologists who are keen to continue to develop their therapeutic skills, who are good communicators and are creative in finding ways to engage with people.
As a service we are big on staff development and "grow your own" and can offer you both internal and external training and development opportunities. You will also be supported to develop your clinical leadership and change management skills, while continuing to develop your supervision, consultation, training and governance skills to enhance patient and staff well-being.
Main duties of the job
- To provide highly specialist and expert psychological assessments of clients referred to the Learning Disabilities Psychology Service, based upon the appropriate use, interpretation and integration of highly complex data from a variety of sources.
- To be responsible for implementing a range of psychological interventions for individuals, carers, families and groups, within and across teams employed individually and in synthesis.
- To formulate plans for the formal psychological treatment and/or management of a client's mental health problems based upon an appropriate conceptual framework of the client's problems, and employing expert methods based upon evidence of efficacy, across the full range of care settings.
- To make highly skilled evaluations and decisions about treatment options taking into account both theoretical and therapeutic models and highly complex factors concerning historical and developmental processes that have shaped the individual, family or group.
- To evaluate and make decisions about treatment options considering both theoretical the therapeutic models and highly complex factors concerning historical and developmental processes that have shaped the individual, family or group.
About us
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated 'outstanding' by the CQC, we're committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire. As an employer, we're committed to offering an inclusive and compassionate environment where our people share in a sense of belonging and are supported to flourish.
Our values at Berkshire Healthcare are:
- Caring for and about you is our top priority
- Committed to providing good quality, safe services
- Working Together with you to develop innovative solutions
Your wellbeing is important to us. Some of the benefits of working for us include:
- Flexible working options to support work-life balance
- 27 days' annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell
- Generous NHS pension scheme
- Excellent learning and career development opportunities
- 'Cycle to Work' and car leasing scheme including electric vehicles
- Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services
- Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants
- Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment and armed forces community to support equality
- Generous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leave
- Free parking across Trust site
Job description
Job responsibilities
The must haves for this role:
Post graduate doctoral qualification in Clinical or Counselling Psychology (or equivalent) HCPC registered Clinical Psychologist Previous experience working as a psychologist with people with learning disabilities
The service operates 9-5 Monday to Friday, and we can offer flexibility within this. We are open to both full and part time applicants.
Interviews are due to be held on 21 July 2025.
For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.
We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.
We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed. We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please dont hesitate to call: Dr Sarah Walden, Consultant Clinical Psychologist on 07890 395584 or 0118 904 7197 or email sarah.walden@berkshire.nhs.uk who will be delighted to help.
Please note, if we receive a high number of applications, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so please submit your application as soon as possible.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The must haves for this role:
Post graduate doctoral qualification in Clinical or Counselling Psychology (or equivalent) HCPC registered Clinical Psychologist Previous experience working as a psychologist with people with learning disabilities
The service operates 9-5 Monday to Friday, and we can offer flexibility within this. We are open to both full and part time applicants.
Interviews are due to be held on 21 July 2025.
For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.
We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.
We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed. We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please dont hesitate to call: Dr Sarah Walden, Consultant Clinical Psychologist on 07890 395584 or 0118 904 7197 or email sarah.walden@berkshire.nhs.uk who will be delighted to help.
Please note, if we receive a high number of applications, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so please submit your application as soon as possible.
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications/Training
Essential
- Post graduate doctoral qualification in clinical or counselling psychology (or equivalent for those who trained prior to 1996 or for those who completed their training overseas) which provides eligibility for Chartered Membership of British Psychological Society (BPS)
- Registered and accredited with Health Care Professional Council (HCPC) as a Practitioner Psychologist
Desirable
- Additional training/ accreditations to reflect post qualification interest/ specialism (e.g., Health Psychology, Neuropsychology, BABCP, UKCP, ACAT, BPS).
Continuous Professional Development
Essential
- Evidence of training and/or interest and knowledge in psychological models and therapeutic approaches relevant to the post
- Commitment to continuing professional development as recommended by the relevant accrediting body
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in evidence-based ways with services users (and their carers/families) presenting with the full range of clinical severity across the range of settings, maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse
- Experience of dealing with highly distressing or emotional circumstances, such as serious mental illness, child and sexual abuse, exploitation, and complex family dynamics
- Experience of working effectively in a multi-disciplinary team and multi-agency environment
- Experience of service development and carrying out clinical audit, evaluative research and applying the findings
- Experience of working with, and addressing issues of diversity, including experience of working with diversity, multiculturalism, and equality of access to service
Desirable
- Experience of delivering teaching and training to staff
- Experience of providing clinical supervision, mentoring, or providing structured guidance to other staff
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Demonstrable knowledge, skills and abilities in the practice of psychological/psychotherapeutic or Systemic assessment, formulation and intervention, relevant to the service area
- Knowledge and understanding of service evaluation, audit and research and completing this in the NHS
- Well-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, technical and/or sensitive information to service users, their carers/families and other professional colleagues, both within and outside the NHS
- Well-developed interpersonal skills, with the ability to support, influence and engage with clinicians, stakeholders and service users to create change and improvement
- The ability and skills to act as an advocate for the service, to engage and foster good professional relationships with all health professionals in promoting the good integration of this service with the wider health care system
- Advanced IT skills and the ability to navigate various systems and software packages (such as RiO, Outlook, databases, MS office/Teams, One Consultation and the internet)
Additional Requirements
Essential
- Able to work flexibly around working patterns as required, and ability to travel independently between locations in Berkshire to fulfil the requirements and duties of the position
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications/Training
Essential
- Post graduate doctoral qualification in clinical or counselling psychology (or equivalent for those who trained prior to 1996 or for those who completed their training overseas) which provides eligibility for Chartered Membership of British Psychological Society (BPS)
- Registered and accredited with Health Care Professional Council (HCPC) as a Practitioner Psychologist
Desirable
- Additional training/ accreditations to reflect post qualification interest/ specialism (e.g., Health Psychology, Neuropsychology, BABCP, UKCP, ACAT, BPS).
Continuous Professional Development
Essential
- Evidence of training and/or interest and knowledge in psychological models and therapeutic approaches relevant to the post
- Commitment to continuing professional development as recommended by the relevant accrediting body
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in evidence-based ways with services users (and their carers/families) presenting with the full range of clinical severity across the range of settings, maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse
- Experience of dealing with highly distressing or emotional circumstances, such as serious mental illness, child and sexual abuse, exploitation, and complex family dynamics
- Experience of working effectively in a multi-disciplinary team and multi-agency environment
- Experience of service development and carrying out clinical audit, evaluative research and applying the findings
- Experience of working with, and addressing issues of diversity, including experience of working with diversity, multiculturalism, and equality of access to service
Desirable
- Experience of delivering teaching and training to staff
- Experience of providing clinical supervision, mentoring, or providing structured guidance to other staff
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Demonstrable knowledge, skills and abilities in the practice of psychological/psychotherapeutic or Systemic assessment, formulation and intervention, relevant to the service area
- Knowledge and understanding of service evaluation, audit and research and completing this in the NHS
- Well-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, technical and/or sensitive information to service users, their carers/families and other professional colleagues, both within and outside the NHS
- Well-developed interpersonal skills, with the ability to support, influence and engage with clinicians, stakeholders and service users to create change and improvement
- The ability and skills to act as an advocate for the service, to engage and foster good professional relationships with all health professionals in promoting the good integration of this service with the wider health care system
- Advanced IT skills and the ability to navigate various systems and software packages (such as RiO, Outlook, databases, MS office/Teams, One Consultation and the internet)
Additional Requirements
Essential
- Able to work flexibly around working patterns as required, and ability to travel independently between locations in Berkshire to fulfil the requirements and duties of the position
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
